The victim, named by Italian media as Francis Leccese and from the central Italian town of L’Aqulia, had moved to Birmingham in August to work as a croupier at the Genting Casino in Chinatown.

He was discovered dead in his house in Daley Close, Ladywood, on Tuesday morning after police forced their way into the property.

A 20-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said of the victim: “I used to see him about quite a lot smoking outside.

“I’m in shock.

“I didn’t know him but he was a really friendly guy, always smiling and he’d always say hello.

“I don’t know who he was living with, people always seemed to be coming and going from that house.

“We’ve lived round here for 20 years and I don’t know of anyone being murdered. It just makes you realise that death can be round the corner.”

Daley Close, Ladywood, where Francis Leccese was found dead

Another neighbour said that the road was swarming with police when the body was discovered.

She said: “The road was completely blocked on Tuesday. You couldn’t get through. The police were there all day.

“It must have been horrible. They didn’t take the body right away.”

Italian media are reporting that Francis’s parents arrived in Birmingham from Italy yesterday.

The house remained taped off today with a policeman standing guard outside. Senior officers and forensic teams arrived to continue investigations.

The man’s death was revealed on Facebook by an Italian pastor for the village of Sassa.

Juan de Dios Vanegas said in his post: “I was lucky to meet with Francesco, to hear his laughs, his irony, the way he used to have a laugh at me with his way to mimic me. You’ll always be in my heart.”